Hague rejects call for prosecutions over alleged Iraq war crimes
Foreign secretary says it is not necessary for ICC to investigate claims against British politicians and senior military figures
William Hague has dismissed a bid to trigger prosecutions of British politicians and senior military figures over alleged war crimes in Iraq.
The foreign secretary said there was no need for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate allegations of UK forces abusing and killing detainees in their custody.
There had been no “systematic” torture by troops and individual cases had either already been dealt with by the British authorities or were the subject of inquiries, he said.
The head of the army, General Sir Peter Wall, former defence secretary Geoff Hoon and former defence minister Adam Ingram are among those named in a 250-page dossier sent to the ICC, according to the Independent on Sunday.
Human rights lawyers have drawn on the cases of more than 400 Iraqis, arguing they represent “thousands of allegations of mistreatment amounting to war crimes of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment”. They describe incidents ranging from “hooding” prisoners to burning, electric shocks, threats to kill and “cultural and religious humiliation”.
Other forms of alleged abuse between 2003 and 2008 include sexual assault, mock executions, and threats of rape, death and torture.
The formal complaint to the ICC was lodged on Sunday by Public Interest Lawyers and the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights.
It calls for an investigation into the alleged war crimes under Article 15 of the Rome statute.
The dossier says “those who bear the greatest responsibility” for alleged war crimes “include individuals at the highest levels” of the British Army and political system.
UK military commanders “knew or should have known” that forces under their control “were committing or about to commit war crimes”.
It also argues that “civilian superiors knew or consciously disregarded information at their disposal, which clearly indicated that UK services personnel were committing war crimes in Iraq”.
However, Hague told Sky News: “These allegations are either under investigation already or have been dealt with already in a variety of ways, through the historic abuses system that has been established, through public inquiries, through the UK courts or the European courts.
“There have been some cases of abuse that have been acknowledged and apologies and compensation have been paid appropriately.
“But the government has always been clear and the armed forces have been clear that they absolutely reject allegations of systematic abuses by the British armed forces.
“The British armed forces uphold high standards and they are the finest armed forces in the world.”
